Dhaka, Oct 15 (V7N)- The Bangladesh Puja Celebration Council and the Dhaka Metropolitan Universal Puja Committee have expressed their gratitude to the government for arranging a three-day holiday for Durga Puja.
The organisations announced their appreciation at a press conference held at Dhakeshwari National Temple in the capital on Thursday morning.
According to the organisers, Durga Puja is being celebrated at 33,851 temples and puja mandaps across the country this year, including 258 in Dhaka Metropolitan area.
To maintain a peaceful environment and ensure security at the mandaps, the central committee has issued 11-point instructions. These include coordinating with local administrations, political parties, the armed forces, law enforcement agencies and student leaders.
The guidelines also call for round-the-clock security by the organisers’ own volunteers and submission of volunteer lists to the nearest police station.
At the press conference, the organisations also presented an eight-point set of demands, including the enactment of a minority protection law and the establishment of a National Minorities Commission and a separate ministry for minority affairs.
According to the religious calendar, the main rituals of the autumn Durga Puja will begin on Friday, October 16, with Shasthi Puja and the ceremonial awakening of the goddess. The celebrations will continue through Saptami, Ashtami and Navami, concluding with Vijaya Dashami on Wednesday, October 21.
This year, government employees are expected to enjoy five consecutive days off from October 20 to 24. According to the announced holiday arrangements, October 20 will be a holiday for Navami under an executive order, October 21 will be a general holiday for Vijaya Dashami, and October 22 will be an additional holiday under an executive order issued by the Prime Minister. The holidays will be followed by the regular weekend on Friday and Saturday, October 23 and 24.
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